Tracheostomy tube device



Feb. 2, 1960 R. c. BLAcKwooD TRACHEOSTOMY TUBE DEVICE Filed Oct. 17, 1957 INVENTOR. fe 0551 C. CWD BY W ATTORNEY purposes as well as the collection of mucus.

United States Patent() F TRACHEOSTOMY TUBE DEVICE Robert C. Blackwood, Larchmont, N Y. Application October 17, 1957, Serial No. 690,664

s claims. (cl. 12s- 351) This invention relates to a tracheostomy tube assembly or unit comprising a flexible, non-corrosive tracheostomy tube, a exible, ncn-corrosive mucus collector tube arranged within the tracheostomy tube andV removable therefrom, and an apertured plate secured to the trache# ostomy tube and removably supporting the mucus collector tube.

.Tracheostomy tubes are required in many surgical cases where breathing through the nose or mouth yhas become impossible.

Heretofore tracheostomy tubes have been made as a stil type of pipe arrangement which has prevented the wearer from turning or raising his head in a normal manner. one position with respect to his shoulders, and turning his head required turning his shoulders and the top part of his body. Likewise, the wearer has founditalmost impossible to raise his head from one position toV another without liexing some other part of his body.

The construction of the tracheostomy and mucus collector tubes of this invention allows fiexibilityin all direc tions, enabling them to function with ease and comfort to the wearer in carrying out allrthe duties desiredof them. f

Actual experience with the tracheostomy tube assembly of this invention, including examination by uoroscopy, has established that its use by the wearer permits him to make all the ordinary movements of the headwith the same ease and comfort that .would attend such movements without its use.

Customarily a tracheostomy tube is inserted in the trachea through an incision made in the neck and trachea. Many tracheostornies are of a permanent nature; others are temporary, but, in each case, both the inner and outer tubes are left in the incision at all times for breathing In the case of the temporary, tracheostomy, the tube can be removed after surgical repair has been made.

The inner tube is used as a collector trap for/mucus expressed from the lungs, which might be only once or twice a day, or several times in an hour. When mucus is forced up by air pressure into the inner tube, the latter can easily be removed leaving the outer tube in place, washed out with water, and replaced into the outer tube.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the tracheostomy tube plate in place on the neck of the wearer, and indicates the position of the tracheostomy tube within the trachea.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged upper plan view of the plate.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken elevation of the tracheostomy tube assembly,V the upper portion of the tracheostomy tube being cut away to expose a sectional view of the tracheostomy tube taken along its vertical median plane, the outline only of the mucus collector tube within the tracheostomy tube, being indicated.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of part of the tracheostomy tube, with a cutaway portion exposing a view along its vertical median plane, showing its structure.

The wearer is required to hold his head in v 5 is anenlarged broken elevation of the mucus ycollector tube and its tubular grip.`

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the obturator. .Referring `more particularly to the drawings:

Tracheostomy tube 10 is constructedv of a pair of edge flanged strips 12,13, of atmaterial that is non-corrosive, Y .exible, resilient and durable., The two strips 12, 13,

are helically wound, one outside the other in overlapped arrangement with their edge flange '14, 15, in opposed relation, thus forming an inner strip 12 with 'out-turned;

anges 14, and-an outer strip `13 with in-turned anges i As seen in Fig. 4, wherein strips 12, 13, are shown in their expanded position, flanges 14, 15, are in engagement and thus prevent further separation of the turns or windings. f f

At the proximal and distal ends of tracheostomy tube 10, several turns or windings of strips 12 and 13 are soldered together to preventunwinding of the turns or windings, and thedistal endof tube 10 is squared andl v Its proximal end is transversely cut its edge rounded. on an oblique plane.

Mucus collector tube 20,is constructed of an inner, A

22, and an outer, 23, edge flanged strip of material of the same type and characteristics as employed in the construction of tracheostomy tube 10, which are arranged Y and helically wound as in the construction of tracheostomy tube 10, the turns or windings'at their'ends being soldered and the distal end shaped, as hereinbefore described in connection with the construction of the tracheostomy tube. t

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 omit a showing of the soldering of the strips at the ends vof tubes 10 and 20, to avoid con-A fusion.

The outside diameter kof mucus collector tubev 20 is'. of tubei120` within trache-v such as to provide a slidev t ostomy tube 10. i

At its proximal end tube 20 is provided with a tubular grip 25 to which such end of tube20 is soldered.

Tubular grip 25 is provided near its'lower end with a pair of diametrically opposed tongues 26 outwardly l extending -and bent to conform` to ,the upper surface of plate 30. The upper portion 27 of grip '25 isrpreferablyv knurled to aord a irm grip enabling it to be easily removed by thum and finger.

Plate 30, as shown in Fig. 2, sk an oval shaped plate having a central circular opening 31 of a diameter sufficient to lit inner tube 20.

The oblique proximal end of tracheostomy tube 10 is soldered, or otherwise suitably secured to plate 30 in alignment with opening 31, so that tube 10 projects therefrom at a downward acute angle.

Tongues 32 are stamped out of plate 30 at diametrically opposed positions, facing in opposite directions, and are bent to space them from plate 30 to receive tongues 26 of grip 25. By a clockwise turn of grip 25, tongues 26 are secured between tongues 32 and plate 30 and by a counter clockwise turn are released.

The ends 33 of plate 30 are bent upwardly and have transverse slots 34 formed therein to which straps 35 are attached. Straps 35 are fastened together at the back of the neck of the wearer by a conventional strap fastener, not shown.

Obturator 40 is predeterminedly shaped to follow the average contour of the average trachea. Its entry member 42 is so dimensioned that on protrusion from the distal end of tube 10, its sides will contact the inner edge of tube 10. Entry member 42 facilitates easy introdue.

VThe materialA ofthe strips must. beanon-corrosive.. The

width and thickness of the material, its flexibility and resilience must be predetermined to secure an elasticity off-tubes iand zoithatfwillirespond to'ethe bending pressures encountered in their. useiwithinfthestracheaxas, freely as the tracheafnormally'respondsztosuch pressures. The depth `of 'thef angesuof ithe f strips employed'fin tli'e constructionofl thet-tracheostomy tube sbouldxbemcorned-to that required for theproper interlockingraofzthez:

`10 of said mucus collector, tube, said plate-having anopening tlanges,-in order to reduce the depthof the exterior helical spacing between the I`flanges,\tbereby providing asmoothf, ness 'of therouter surface-.of said tube whichvis..necessary` to'-avoid irritation Vof 'or` -injury to the 'tracheaizv I'have found thatsilver is a-very .satisfactory,material;l

for the construction of the tracheostomy and mucus c01- lectortubes,V as wellfas for- .theV plate 30 and 'thezobturator 4% but l' do not-limit this invention toV tbeuse'of ith'atz;

The transverse oblique formation of the proximal endi ofA the tracheostomy tubeV at its'junction` with: plate 30 and -Iits resultant downward projection therefrom; provide. anveasier drop of thetracheostomy tube into the tracheai'` and a better lit of said tube with the trachea.`

The drawingsshereinrshow lone embodiment of any;y Changes and modifications therein .'may: be'

tube-each comprisingia tubing -forrnedof a pair of edge; flangedvfstrips. of .a nonfcorrosive, vilexible andnfesilient:V material, hclically wound; one outside the other. in gover# lapped arrangement and in opposed relation, thus form#V in'gfanfinnertstrip withfout-turnedanges and an outer stripfwith in-turned E flanges; each". said itubingfhaving a? predetermined elasticity freely responsive to movementsV ofthe'fneck, aplate Vsecured tothe proximal end of said tracheostomy tube, a grip secured to the proximal end of said mucus collector tube, enacting coupling means, on.v saidtcollar and grip,v and a neck fastening means for holding Vsaid `collar imposition.

2.51m combination, attracheostomy tube adaptedfor insertion in :ne tracheafthrough an opening in the neck, and a'mucus collectorrtube inserted in said tracheostomy tube; each comprising, a: tubing formed of apair of edgeasesinan 4. flanged .stripsof anon-corrosive, exible and resilient. material, helically wound, one outside the other in overlapped arrangement and in opposed relation, thus forming an inner strip with out-turned tianges and an outer '.5 strip with in-turned anges, each said tubing having a predetermined elasticity freely responsive to movements of the neck, a plate secued to the. proximal end of said tracheostomy tube limiting its downward movement in the tracheae-atubularfgripsecured tothe-'proximal end iitting said mucus collector tube, coupling means on said plate yandztubular .gripzandfa neck fastening ,meansxfor holding said platein position.y

3. A combination" according to claim 2 wherein the depth of the edge anges of the inner and outer strips of the tracheostomy tube is confined to that required for the interlocking of said flanges. '4.' Alcombinationaccording to claim kZwhere'infy the proXimaLend oflthetracheostorny `tube at its -junctiomwithf saidl plate is cut on aplane inclined to'the axisof said..- tub'efwhich. is lso mounted'onsaid plate; that vit projects-v therefrom' at afdownwardly extending,v angle.-

5:'lA.tracheostomy'tube device comprising an outer" tube adapted for insertion in the trachea throughiansv. openingninjtheneck, andan inner tube inserted iin..sai`d outer tube,: each vcomprising a tubing formed of la pair of edge flanged strips of a non-corrosive, ileXibleand-f resilient material, helically wound, .one outside 'the "other in'roverlapped arrangement and in opposed relation; thus y forming-v an inner stripwith outturned ilanges and LannA outeitstrip within-turned anges, each said tubing having;

a 1predetermined elasticity yfreely responsive to movements-'f ofthe neck,ameans:connected`to said outer tube-limiting,vv`

itsdownward movement-in theftrachea, and means'fvzre-'- leasablyeholding said inner -tube in said outer tubel.

References Cited inthe tile of lthis .patent UNITED' STATES :PATENTS OTHER: REFERENCES r V. Mueller and'Co., Catalog, Eye, Ear, NoseV and i L Throat` Instruments. Copyrightwl929, p. 233 `#A8550'i Photocopy -ofz'f'pageffin Div.4 55.5 'I 

